Fall-board-operating mechanism



May 14, 1929. G. cARocclo FALL BOARD OPERATING MECHANISM 2 Sheets-Shet 1 Filed July 13, 1923 INVENTOR. al saw? fiA/mcc/a BY /MNEYS.

May 14, 1929. s. CAROCCIO FALL BOARD OPERATING MECHANISM Filed July 13, 1923 '2 Sheets-Sheet 2 &

Patented May 14, 1929.

UNlTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GIUSEPPO CAROCCIO, OF NEW YORK, Y., ASSIGNOR, BY IVIESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO

WELTE-MIGNON CORPORATION, OF NEVI YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF DELA- WARE.

FALL-BOARDUPERATING MECHANISIVI.

Application filed July 13,

This invention relates to fall boards for musical instruments and operating mechanism therefor, being adapted particularly for use in grand pianos.

The primary object of my invention is the provision of an improved operating mechanism for moving a fall board into and out of covering position by a humanly operated device in position to be operated from the outside of the case.

Another object of my invention is the provision of a structure wherein a rock shaft and lever construction is connected at its operating end to a fall board and at its operated end to a humanly operated means whereby the fall board may be moved to covering position.

Referring to the drawing wherein I have illustrated a preferred embodiment of my invention, 1

Figure 1 is a vertical cross section of my invention as applied to a grand piano.

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 but with the fall board in its rearward position.

Figure 3 is a plan view of my invention, portions of the piano being omitted for the sake of clearness.

Figure 1 is a plan View of the bottom of the instrument showing the operating mechanism as viewed from below.

9 designates the keybed of a grand piano, 10, a key and 11 the upper casing. The

fall board to which I have shown my invention applied is a type which reciprocates on guide rails, to and from its covering position over the keys.

12 designates the fall board which is supported on a suitable supporting or guiding rail 1.3 at each end thereof, the rails being secured to the sides of the piano casing. The fall board 12 is provided with suitable runners 14; of leather or felt or any suitable material for contacting with the upper surfaces of the rails 13.

At the forward end of the fall board is a pivoted portion 16 which by lifting on the forward edge, may be folded about the hinge 17 into the cut away portion 18. The fall board is free to be lifted about its rear end as a center to permit clearance of the keys 10 during the folding operation. In practice, suitable securing means will preferably be provided to prevent the dropping of the 1923. serial NO. 651,353.

hinged portion 16 when folded in the space 18.

Adjacent the bottom of the kcybed, I have provided bearings 19 in which is mounted a lever in the form of a rock shaft 20 having two arms 21 extending upwardly for operating the fall board and an arm 22 extending downwardly to operate the shaft as will be described. The arms 21 are arranged parallei and are of the same length. The keybedis cut away suliiciently to permit the proper operation of the lever arms 21.

Small blocks 23 are secured to the rear of the fall board 12. Pivotally connected to the blocks 23 and the arms 21 are the links 2stwhich are identical in length and shape.

Mounted in suitable bearings 25 for axial movement therein is a rod 26 having at its end, nearest the front of the instrument, a suitable knob or handle 27. A link 28 connects the rod 26 and the lever arm 22 to operate the latter from the former.

The operation of my invention is as follows Assuming that the fall board in closed or outer position as shown in Figure 1, the forward end of the board is lifted and the lower leaf folded in the space 18. The fall board 1.2 is now permitted to return to its position as shown in Figure 1. It may now be pushed inwardly by pressing on the forward edge. If desired, not to press on the fall board, the handle 27 may be pulled outwardly, exerting a tension in the link 28 causing a turning of the shaft 20 in a clockwise direction as viewed in Figure 1, placing the link 24: under tension and thus pulling the fall board to the rear.

hen itis desired to bring the fall board to its outer or closed position, it is only necessary to push inwardly on the handle 27. This places the link 28 under compression, causes the shaft 20, with the arms 21, to turn in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in Figure 1. This causes the links 2a to be placed under compression, thus forcing the fall board 12 to be moved to its outward position. The forward end may then be lifted and the hinged portion swung downwardly. The fall board is then lowered in place.

While I have shown and described a modification of my invention, I desire to have it understood that I do not limit myself to the exact showing and that modifications and changes may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention and within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described my invention, what I claim is 1. A musical instrument casing provided with a key bed and with an opening in its front portion and above the key bed, and

also having a fall board arranged over the key bed and spaced therefrom, and slidable within said opening, in combination with an operating member below the key bed, and connections extending through the key bed and operative by said member to slide the fall board forward from its inner to its outer position.

2. A musical instrument casing provided with an opening in its front portion and with a fall board movable slidably forward and rearward Within said opening, the fall board having a depression in the underside of its forward portion and provided in advance of said depression with a hinged member which is foldable upward and lies in said depression when in its folded position, in combination with a lever mechanism arranged within the casing and connected to the fall board, and an operating member connected to said lever mechanism and operative therethrough to slide the fall board forward from its inner to its outer position.

3. A musical instrument casing provided with an opening in its front portion and with a fall board movable slidably forward and rearward within said opening and with its upper surface spaced from the lower wall of the opening, the fall board having a depression in the underside of its forward portion and provided in advance of said depression with a hinged member which is foldable upward and lies in said depression when in its folded position, in combination with a lever mechanism arranged within the casing and hingedly connected to therearward portion of the fall board, and an operating member connected to said lever mechanism and operative therethrough to slide the fall board forward from its inner to its outer position.

4. A musical ii'istrumentcomprising keys, a fall board mounted to have reciprocatory movement over the keys, a shaft, an arm extending from the shaft, a connection between the arm and the fall board, and an operating member connected to the shaft and operative therethrough to impart sliding movement to the fall board.

5. A musical instrument comprising keys, a fall board, means for guiding the fall board forward and rearward over the keys, a shaft, a plurality of arms extending from the shaft, link members connecting the arms with the fall board, an additional arm extending from the shaft, a humanly operable rod mounted to reciprocate and a link connecting the rod with the last named arm.

6. A musical instrument comprising a key bed and keys, a fall board mounted to have recipro atory movement over the keys, a shaft, a plurality of arms extending from the shaft, connections between said arms and the fall board, and a reciprocatorily mounted operating member arranged below the bed and having connection with said shaft to operate the same to impart sliding movement to the fall board.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

GIUSEPPO CAROCCIO. 

